Industrial Fire Prevention

At the highest level, bulk storage spaces provide room for the storage of equipment and supplies in large quantities. They are designed and customized based on what is being stored. The weight, shape and make up of what is being stored are key considerations used to determine what the final storage product looks like and even how much space is needed for maneuverability.

In the world of Industrial Fire Prevention, we oftentimes hear from the perspective of those entities trying to enforce standards in the industry and very rarely from those who are in the line of fire, pun intended. It is important to note that once operating in industries such as the wood, paper and automobile, this is risk is always there. As such, a continued send of urgency is required at all times in order to protect the lives of everyone and ensure that the work environment is a safe one.

Madison, WI, April 30, 2018: The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) released a Factual Investigative Update into the fatal May 31, 2017, combustible dust explosions at the Didion Milling facility in Cambria, Wisconsin. The explosions killed five of the 19 employees working at the facility on the night of the incident. The other 14 were injured.

In as recent as November 2017, the Cargill plant located in Trafford reported its second industrial explosion for the year. The explosion was reported at around 1:30pm and firefighters were quick to respond. Although all 300 employees came out safe and sound, it is important to note that the fire came frm the vary same location that exploded earlier in the year. What is it that saved the plant? Spark Detection.

The birth of the industrial era brought many things. On the positive side, it brought faster production to meet demand at a more affordable cost, increase in jobs and increase in the overall standard of living. However, on the negative side, where it regards the manufacturing process, explosions such as grain dust explosions was now a reality and management had to now be steadfast in their actions to stop these explosions before they happen.

We are often greeted with the quotes, "Safety begins with you" when approaching any industrial space. We are prompted to wear gloves, hard hats and shoes to protect ourselves from any bodily harm. But is this same approach being taken when it comes to fireproofing our workplace? The Industrial Fire at Hampton Mill on September 15, 2017 is the latest evidence that this is not always the case. This fire also reminds us that we need to be more attentive when looking at our workspace and ensuring that we are doing all that we can to prevent fires of this nature

Our friends at Safety Daily Advisor wrote this amazing article on fire hazards in the workplace and we thought that it would be perfect and timely to share with you some of the main highlights in addition to our thoughts on the matter.